Door latch



March 18,. 1952 A. sbRENsoN DOOR LATCH Filed July 11, 1947 Patented Mar. 18, 1952 I UNITED STATES"; PATENT OFFICE-7 nooii LATCH 5 f Alex Sorenson Cambridge, Minn. I Application July 11, 1947, Serial No. 760,339

2 Claims. (01192-426) I I 1 7' as "used for holding a door in closed position.

It 'is an object of this invention to provide a novel, simple and efficient latch and one which i quite rugged and durable. i It is a further object of the invention to pro- 'vide a latch structure for a door comprising a latch bar pivoted adjacent one end for oscillating movement at one side of the door, a keeper on the door frame adapted to receive the other end of said bar, means secured to the door and having .handles at both sides of said door adapted to be oscillated for lifting said latch, and a spring of novel and eflicient form for urging said latch downwardly.

v These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be fully set forth in the following description made in connection with the accompanyingdrawings in which like reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views and in which:

Fig. '1 is a view in side elevation of the structure as seen from one side of the door, which side is preferably the outer side;

2 is a horizontalsection taken substantially on line 2-2 of Fig. l, as indicated by the This invention relates to a latch structure such;

I3b at the bottom of opening I30. Bar I2 "can thus oscillate vertically, the" same fulcruming about the inner end of notch I2a. *A'spfihg -16 "is provided and while this could take various forms, in theembodiment of the invention illustrated itjis shown as a small. rod or wire of resilient material. Portion I 312 has'a' holeor slot -I3d at its upper end and one end of springIB exbent downwardly at the inner side of portion- I31).

I Spring I6 extends downwardly in curved for-in about the end of latch I2 and then extends through anotherslot orj'op g I36 in h M Fig. is a vertical section taken on line 5+5 of Fig. 1, as indicated by the arrows.

Referring to the drawings a door II) is shown which will be as usual mounted to swing on,

hinges at one side, said door swinging about a vertical axis. A door frame I I is disposed adjacent the free edge of said door.

A latch bar 7' I2 is provided and while this might be variously tom of portion l3b. Spring IG then extends longitudinally of bar I2 toward the 'rreeen'd thereof and then extends upwardly substantially the side thereof adjacent door II]; It will thus beseen that the tension of spring I6 urges barIZ downwardly. A keeper I1 is provided which will be secured to door frame I I in any suitable manner, as by aplurality of screws I8 Keeper H has an inner substantially vertical side I -Ia ofa plate is secured to the side of the dooroppos'ite plate I 3'in any suitable manner as by a plurality of screws 2i. Plate at its lower'e'n'd is bifurcated and the two spaced portions thereof areformed into substantially cylindrical form. A member 22 is' provided, and'while this spurs be variously made, in the embodiment of the invefition illustrated it' is shown as made from "a cylindrical rod, the same having trunnions 22a H secured thereto at opposite sides which extend into and are oscillatable in the semi-cylindrical portions 20a of plate 20. Member 22 extends through an opening or slot I0a formed in the videdhaving a portion I3a which fits against the a side of door III and is secured thereto by a plurality of screws or bolts I4 extending through suitable holes inportion I 3a. Plate I3 has a portopjbf this slot.

The opening in plate 20 extends to the A plate 24 is secured to the side door I0.

of the door at which latch I2 is disposed, in any tion or flange I3b at one end which extends outwardly y from the door substantially at right angles thereto.- Portion I3b is provided with an elongated vertically extending opening or slot I30. One end'of bar I2 extends through said opening or slot I3c and said bar is provided with a notch 12a in its lower side having diver ing sides, which notch embraces the part of portion suitable manner, as by a plurality of screws 25.

While plate 24 could take various forms, it is sir n as oblong. Plate 24 has a slot 24a therein 4w is coextensive with the slot Ina.

member 22 extends under the latch bar I2 and The rofdoor ID by suitable screws 21. Plate '26- has a tor can take hold ioff'either one of the *handles 22b depending -on-whi'ch side oi thedoor he is located. If he is on the side of the door at which bar I2 is disposed, he will lift handle:

22b and member 22 will pivot about trunnions.

22a so that latch bar I2 will be lifted above The door can then beaopenedi. If,-

keeper I1.

the operator is at theopposite side of the door I he will press downwardly on the handle'22b and" this will swing member 22 and lift the-:latch' bar I2. If the door is open and swings to closed byekeeper: A I and '.when it Q passes vthe :top. of-v the keeper it wilLbe .thrownlinto the-space between the -surfacecl'la .and.,the .dQorirame by, spring; I6.u Spring I6. exerts. a.- tension .on .bar. I2 tending to move: its .free. end downwardly, andtthis tension.hold-the latch bar. in closed.

position.

Fromthe rabove descriptionit will be seenthat I have provided a simple, efficient and very.

rugged-structure of door latch. The parts are easilymade fromstanda'rd material.) The spring tom, a latch bar having one end extending through said slot and having a notch at its .lower side embracing said second portion at the bottom of said slot, said bar thus being movable vertically in said second portion, said bar being adapted to cooperate with a stationary; keeper, means mounted on said door and having handles at both sides of'said door for lifting said latch; andca springcomprising a resilientsmallrodor wire i=having on'e end bent inwardly and disposed in said notch in the upper end of said second portion, said spring extending downwardly to be disposed in said lower notch and about the lower end of said second portionysaidspring thence extending outwardly oft-said secondportion and longitudinally of said 'latch' bar and having its free end portion extending: upwardly and over the top of said I6. can be very readily. disengaged from bar I2.-.-.as well .as from...plate I3 andibar I2 can.

be,.readily .removed .from plate, I3; Themlatch.

can. .be ..operated ..from. either, side .:of Ithe door and it Y. securely holds the door .in closed position; The -device...h'as--been amply demonstrated in actual practice, iound to be very ;successful and efiicient and. commercial fiproduction of the;

sam'ehasbeen started.

It..wi1l 10f; course Lbe understood that various changesimay bemade in the .form, details," ar rangement ;and.proportions.,of "the parts, with-i out. dpantingpirbm the scope, of' applicants" invention,. which; generally stated, consists 'in a:-.device capable offlcarrying out'the objectsv above .set .iorth, in the-parts and combinations of. partsndisclosedvland Idefined "in the appended claims..,.

What isiclaifned is:

l. A latchlstructure for a doorhaving in com-f bination; a'..-.plate.h'aving aportion adapted to beisecdredltotheisidefof said doorysaid plate having-a.- second portion. extending. outwardly oiQsaidIddor, saidsecond portionhavingi a "-ver-l tica1.1slcit .tliereingand being :provided with a painof. notches. respectively; at its topgand lbot-" latch bar bein dis osedithereon, and said s ring position,. .the latch I2 will be guided upwardly, 20 g p p actinggto urge said ebar; downwardly.

2. A la'tch: structure fora .door having income; bination; a: bracketvsecured zto a: door; having a; plate-likecportion extending. outwardly, fromsaid door and having aislot'therein,- said por-..

tion: having; .,a' pair "of notches respectively 'in its 'topand bottom ends, latch-bar havingone.

end .disposed ,in' said slot and having a (notch:

in; the, lower; side zofe said end .-.embracing ,th'e. bottom of said "slot;,aameans' for. raising said.

latch-bar, a wire spring, said. spring having one end bent to en age' and .be;=removab1y, helde-inx saidnotch-1 at the'=-.top :of- :said plate-like Dore tion, said spring. disposed-c downwardly to we gage said notch in the lower end of .said izplatee.

' like cportionxands said spring, thence, extending. outwardly at. an (angle 3130'; said p1ate-like;-.poretionvand longitudinally; of ..said. latch. bar,g the:

f ree; :end of ;said .spring iextendingr upwardly: land.

over: said latch barbeing disposed. thereon. fo1"-.- urging the same downwardly ALEX SORENSONF asrmsuonsrormn;

The :following references are ofrecord 'in lthe file of. this spa-tent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

